Caxton Grill at St.Ermin’s Hotel

If like me you’re a fan of MasterChef, then you may well be familiar with one of the stars from last year’s MasterChef: The Professionals, Adam Handling. Handling reached the finals but was pipped to the post by the equally talented Steven Edwards. He has since gone on to win the prestigious 2014 British Culinary Federation Chef of the Year and is the head chef of Caxton Grill located within the gloriously Art Nouveau styled St. Ermin’s Hotel in St.James’s Park.

Orkney Scallops, Ponzu and Seaweed Butter

So, I’m sure you’re dying to know what his cooking is like? Well, as demonstrated on the Masterchef, Handling has some serious technical skills, which is evident in a starter of Crab, Avocado, Watermelon and
Sweetcorn. The title might sound simplistic, but the dish is far from it. Molecular gastronomy is in play with spherified caviar and dehydrated sweetcorn crisps. The starter is showy and elegant but doesn’t forget the star ingredient – the crab. An Asian inspired Orkney Scallops, Ponzu and Seaweed Butter is what my friend orders – it’s big on flavour, big on textures and she absolutely loves it.

Vintage Ribeye Steak

I choose the less inventive main on the menu: Vintage Ribeye Steak and Handcut Garlic and Parsley Chips and Café de Paris Butter, but my friend makes up for that by having the signature Lamb, Cauliflower, Romanesque and Cockles. It’s the dish the critics fell in love with on the show, and favours much the same response from the friend, but note not quite as much as her starter – I’d say she has a crush on the lamb, whereas her heart lies firmly with the scallops. My steak is masterfully cooked on the Josper Grill with a nicely charred outta and succulent inner. I’m told by the attentive, but somewhat cocky waiter that the butter had twenty-one ingredients in it, blimey – I’m not going to try and work them all out, but can definitely detect paprika. Either way, it goes beautifully well with the steak.

Handcut Garlic and Parsley Chips

Lamb, Cauliflower, Romanesque and Cockles

Desserts are a showstopping visual treat. My Chocolate Textures, Peppermint Sorbet and Peanut Biscuits has so much going on that I could never tire of eating it – an absolute treasure and again all perfectly executed. I especially love the biscuits, so light, crumbly and deliciously nutty. The friend has the Apricot, Ginger and Rhubarb Pannacotta, which get the thumbs up too.

 Chocolate Textures, Peppermint Sorbet
and Peanut Biscuits

Apricot and Ginger Pannacotta with Rhubarb

Handling’s cooking is bold, adventurous, inventive and in the words of Greg Wallace “Cooking doesn’t get tougher better than this”… Just go!

Starters are £9-£13, mains £16-£35 and desserts £9-£12.

Food I Fancy dined as a guest.

Caxton Grill
2 Caxton Street
London, SW1H 0QW
Tel: 0800 652 1498
www.caxtongrill.co.uk